Public Works & Facilities Commission

PUBLIC WORKS & FACILITIES COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY July 10, 2019 TIME: 6:30 P.M. ROOM 208 MIDDLETOWN CONNECTICUT Members Present: Councilman Carl. R. Chisem Councilman Sebastian Giuliano Councilman Gene Nocera Councilman Vance Cotten Councilman Philip Pessina Members Absent: Staff Present: William Russo, Director of Public Works Christopher M. Holden, P.E., Deputy Director of Public Works Others: Jane Harris John Hall Jennifer Mehr Chair Chisem opened the Public Works & Facilities Commission meeting at 6:36 P.M. Chair Chisem requested a motion to approve the minutes dated May 8, 2019. Motion to approve the minutes was seconded by Councilman Nocera and approved unanimously. PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS: Jane Harris from the Urban Forestry Commission has come to speak to the Public Works and Facilities Commission about the amount of dead and diseased trees that need to be removed and replaced. She states that the budget allotted is not enough to remove and replace the trees. She states that the average amount to remove and replant a tree is around $500.00. The Urban Forestry Commission is only able to plant about 20 trees a year. The Urban Forestry Commission and the Jonas Center have collaborated to form an informational session to educate the public and to find ways to raise money to replace trees. The current budget for the Urban Forestry Commission is $12,000.00 per year. Half of that budget is used for the City Forrester and the other half is used to plant trees. This year they have been able to plant 15 trees. John Hall represents the Jonas Center, He is here to comment on the Newfield St. / Tuttle Road Multiuse Walking Path. He states that he has been advocating for this project for a long time. He is happy to see it moving forward. Jennifer Mehr 99 Old Farms East, She states that she is delighted that the New Field/Tuttle Road Multiuse Walking Path project is moving forward. Beth Emery from the Westfield area of town, has come before the Commission to urge that the Multiuse Walking Path Project move forward. CORRESPONDENCE: a. Larry McHugh sent in a letter to Director Russo and staff to thank us for assisting with parking, preparation during the event and the clean up afterwards at the 22nd Annual Cruise Night on Main St. b. Road Closure Notice for Millbrook Road- This closure will be in effect from July 8th-July 12th. NEW BUSINESS: a. Street Tree Planning Urban Forestry Commission- Director Russo further elaborates the conversation that went on during Public Comments. He states that the current budget for tree removal is currently 30,000.00. There are many diseased trees that need to be removed and replaced. Director Russo would like to try to find funding to replace one for one. Director Russo states that he is going to look into taking money from town aid to help replace some trees. The Commission has asked to keep this item on the agenda for next month. b. New Field Street/Tuttle Road Multiuse Walking Path- Director Russo asked Michael Doherty, PLA Project Manager from Milone & McBroom to come before the Public Works and Facilities Commission for an informational meeting regarding the Newfield Corridor Trail Project. A handout was provided by Milone & McBroom for the commission to look over some of the projects that they have done. Director Russo would like to enter into a professional service agreement. Further discussion ensued. A motion was made by Councilman Nocera. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously. c. Butternut Multiuse Walking Path Estimate- Director Russo would like to get approval from the Public Works & Facilities Commission to transfer $100, 000.00 from the Snow School Park Bond line item that currently has $ 710,000.00 available over to the Butternut Park line item. The transfer would be to finish the Multiuse Walking Path. Further discussion ensued. The Commission approved the $100,000.00 transfer. A motion was made by Councilman Giuliano. The motion was seconded by Councilman Pessina and passed unanimously. d. Security Cameras at Veterans Park- Deputy Director Chris Holden presents to the Commission the Veterans Museum Milestone Video project estimate. This estimate would be to add security cameras by the museum, helicopter, and trees of honor. The estimate is 24,234.71 it includes the equipment and installation. Deputy Director Chris Holden would like to use the Vets Park money to protect the Veterans Museum. A motion was made by Councilman Giuliano. The motion was seconded by Councilman Cotten and passed unanimously. e. Creative Recreation Quote for base of playscape at Macdonough School-Director Russo states that the Macdonough School playscape has a woodchip base. When it rains it creates a big puddle making it hard for the kids to utilize. Director Russo has presented a quote from Creative Recreation to replace the woodchip base with IPEMA Certified TPV Rubber Poured-In-Place Surfacing. If approved Director Russo states that he can have this done before the first day of the school year. The estimate presented to the Commission is for the base, any other repairs to the playscape will be presented at a later time. Further discussion ensued. A motion was made by Councilman Pessina. The motion was seconded by Councilman Cotten and passed unanimously.  f. The Connecticut Tree Protective Association Summer Meeting- Rick Romano needs to attend the class as the Deputy Tree Warden for the City Of Middletown. The cost for the meeting is $75.00. A motion was made by Councilman Pessina for approval. The motion was seconded by Councilman Cotten and passed unanimously. OLD BUSINESS: a. Tall Timbers request to deed the road from common space private property to a public roadway- Deputy Director Christopher Holden introduced to the Public Works and Facilities Commission a report of the requirements to change a private road to a public city road. The reports shows what is required by the City of Middletown and what Tall Timbers Road currently has. On the report it list the requirements and it also list the current specifications that Tall Timbers Road has, some of the requirements are currently unknown. It will be the responsibility of the Association to follow up with the recommendations for the City of Middletown to make a more educated decision. Blake Carter, 10 Tall Timber Road, Treasury of the South Gate Home Owners Association Inc., has come forward to speak on behalf of the Association about the recommendations that the City of Middletown requires to change from a private road to a public city road. A list of standard details and specifications was brought forward to show the requirements and existing conditions. Five out of the ten requirements remain unknown, four others don’t meet the requirements, only the category that reads ROW meets the requirements. Blake states that he has been at his current resident since the beginning of the project. A concern that Deputy Director has raised is that the street is sinking. Blake states that top coat was never applied properly, due to the contractor essentially abandoning the project. Michael Howley Fire Chief/CEO of the South Fire District went out to evaluate if the fire trucks would be able to go into and turn around on Tall Timber Road. The Fire Chief sent over an email to Deputy Director Christopher Holden stating that the width of the driveway does hinder operations, one car in the driveway can shut it down so the truck cannot pass. He states that this could be difficult with any vehicle in the driveway or cul-de-sac. The fire chief also goes on to say that “No matter what we still have to respond and protect the lives and buildings out there whether it is a road or a driveway”. Fire Chief Michael states in the email that if this does get approved there would have to be no parking at all, at any time in the roadway. Further discussion ensued. Councilman Nocera has asked that we keep this item on next month’s agenda to make a more educated decision. b. May 2019 Public Works Overtime- The Public Works & Facilities Commission reviewed their May 2019 monthly reports. There were no questions. c. June 2019 Public Works Overtime- The Public Works & Facilities Commission reviewed their June 2019 monthly reports. There were no questions. Director Russo Thanks the Commission for funding the Fireworks and Pride Parade. d. May 2019 Building Permits- The Commission reviewed their April 2019 Building Permits. Building continues to be very busy. To date $651,640.27 has been collected. It has exceed the expected $550,000.  e. June 2019 Building Permits- The Commission reviewed their June 2019 Building Permits. Building continues to be very busy. The building department closed out the year with 891,367.00. It has exceeded the projected amount by about $440,000.00. In the new fiscal year it has already in ten days made about 85,000.00. OTHER: a. May 2019 Monthly Report- Highway Division- The Public Works & Facilities Commission reviewed their May 2019 monthly reports for the Highway Division. b. June 2019 Monthly Report- Highway Division- The public works & Facilities Commission reviewed there June 2019 monthly reports for the Highway Division. c. May 2019 Overtime Report-Parks Division – At this time, there was no Overtime report available for the Commission to review. d. June 2019 Overtime Report- Parks Division- At this time, there was no Overtime report available for the Commission to review. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS: As there was no further discussion, a motion was made to end the meeting by Councilman Chisem. The motion was seconded by Councilman Giuliano and approved unanimously. The Public Works & Facilities Commission meeting adjourned.